Yo-Yo's

When I started thinking about this post, I wasn't sure what way it would go- I have debated quite a bit about sharing this, but I feel like I should for myself!

I have always struggled with my weight, I started gaining weight when I was about 7.  (To put this into perspective:, I have tried on my baptism dress-that I wore when I was 8- and besides the fact that it is a shirt...I can fit into it) I was involved in sports, I was on swim team and played competitive soccer, but I continued to gain weight until I was in Jr. High.

"fat Annie"

 

I was a Freshman when I finally decided that my weight was a problem (finally for myself, my parents had tried everything to try and help me).  I was in a new PE program at our Jr. High where the school was given a weights gym and they were to track the students weight and progress throughout the semester and report back to the company who donated the gym equipment.  I was worried to get on the scale.  The summer before my Freshman year I remember getting on the scale and it was 175 lbs (I was just hitting 5 feet mind you).  Luckily for me, my teacher was fantastic and did all weigh-ins in private for this weights program.  At first I hated it.  But by about the third week, I was HOOKED!  I was even able to do our "fun run's" straight through without walking- SIDE NOTE: why in the hell are these called "fun run's"?  In no way are these fun, running with 35 other girls in the worst fitting school branded gym clothing praying you don't run into the boys PE class as they are playing football outside! these should be called shame run's!  Anyway, back on subject-  In my Jr High PE was only half a year- however I had done so well in this class (I believe I dropped about 20 lbs just from this class in six months) that I didn't want to stop, I asked the PE teacher if I could join her the next semester as her TA and workout with her class.  She gladly accepted. This may sound fantastic, and it was..to an extent.  I was able to start to love the way I felt!  

Freshman Year

May of 8th Grade

The summer between my Freshman and Sophomore year of High School I was training to try out for the High School Soccer Team.  I was going to weight training in the morning, coming home, going running, coming home, and then going to soccer camps.  I was exercising AT LEAST 8 hours a day.  At the time, if I ate anything before I worked out I would get sick.  So I wouldn't eat.  I was working out 8 hours a day with no food.  You better believe I was dropping LBS, INCHES, and CLOTHING SIZES like they were last years season. I LOVED the attention I was getting for "getting so skinny" and wanted to do whatever I had to keep getting this attention.  However, it was coming at a HUGE expense.  I was a complete and total B*&CH.  I wasn't loosing weight the right way.  Yes, I was exercising, yes I felt "great".  But, I wasn't giving my body the time to recover, or the nutrition it needed to try and keep the weight off.   By the start of my Sophomore year, I was down from a size 14-16 the year before to a 2.  I dropped 70 lbs- I weighed 105.  While I was trying out for the soccer team, my mom pointed out what I was doing to myself, and how I wasn't being me, I was mean, irritable, and just downright bitchy. I took a step back and I realized I really didn't like soccer anymore.  I loved the attention I was getting, but I wasn't enjoying the sport anymore.  I completed the tryouts and I kicked butt.  And the biggest blessing happened.  I didn't make the team!  

Sophomore Year

September Sophomore Year

Most people would have been devastated with all the work that they put into making the team and not making it.  But I wasn't.  I was relieved!  I knew I had a problem (with my lack of eating and over exercising).  I knew that I needed to change something in my life or things would continue to spiral  out of control.  I quit soccer!  I kept the weight off for a couple of months- but because I didn't loose the weight the right way, I started to gain in back.  I was still running in the mornings or going for a bike ride, but I wasn't working out 8 PLUS hours a day, and I started eating so weight came back, and it came back with a vengeance.  

I continued to struggle with my weight after my Sophomore year of High School. But I didn't want to go back into my spiral of addiction to working out and anti-eating.  So I was in a constant battle with myself.  In high school I never got back up to 175 lbs, but I did gain quite a bit of weight back.  When I moved away to school after my senior year my dad got me my first gym pass.  I had to put myself on a STRICT exercise routine.  As in the MOST I was allowed to work out was an hour and a half in a day.  I followed this for quite a while, and I never got back down to 105.  I continued to get into shape.   

Eventually I started making excuses to not go to the gym.  I moved, my gym pass didn't work down in Vegas.  I started gaining more weight. I met the man of my dreams, we dated, we ATE, we cooked, we devoured cookies, we laughed, we got engaged, we got married.  We got pregnant within a few months, and I was super unhealthy.  I was working full time, and working out was the last thing on my mind.  I gained 24 lbs in my pregnancy with Zoe, and right before I delivered her I weighed 218 lbs.  I was on a high risk pregnancy, I had MAJOR complications through the whole thing.  I didn't know how out of control my weight had gotten for about two years after I had Zoe.  I hadn't taken much weight off, I was about 180 lbs when Zoe was 18 months old.  

August 2009

2011

2011

July 2013

Again, my dad was amazing, and got Derrick and I both gym passes.  I started going to spin classes 4 days a week, weight started to come off, and I was loving doing the spin classes.  Derrick started going to the gym, as well.  I got pregnant with Tye, I weighed 168 lbs.  I had to stop going to spin classes during my pregnancy due to contractions.  Derrick was working out and changed his eating his habits.  During my pregnancy, I gained 12 lbs.  When I left the hospital I was at my pre-pregnancy weight.  At 5 weeks post-pregnancy, I was able to start working out again.  I took advantage of this, I had already changed MOST of my eating habits because of Derrick, so that was an easy transition for me.  I have loved getting in shape this time, and doing it the RIGHT way.  I have made it part of my lifestyle.  I don't let it completely consume me, I have two amazing girls, a fantastic husband, a part time job, and guess what?!  You can loose weight if you eat right!  I am done Yo-Yo'ing and I am getting healthy and happy the RIGHT WAY!  I am not starving myself anymore, and I am not doing this alone.  This is the new me!